


Blurring the Lines

by captainamergirl



Category: Friends (TV)
Genre: 10 Sentences, F/M, They shoulda been endgame bitches!, eff the lobsters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-24 16:36:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20709179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainamergirl/pseuds/captainamergirl
Summary: JnR reunited.





	Blurring the Lines

**Cry** \- She didn't cry when Ross left; it had been a long time coming, honestly. They had stopped knowing how to talk to each other years before and silence became the only language that they did speak. Emma was devastated over their breakup but Rachel knew she and Ross couldn't stay together any longer, not even for their beloved daughter.

**Death** \- She _did_ cry when her father died. Leonard Green had been a horrid man; there was no denying that, but that's what made it so sad - that she'd never really had a genuine relationship with him; that she never could be the son he had wanted.

**Designs** \- It was Joey, recently divorced himself and back in New York, who got her through this difficult time in her life. He was the one who encouraged her to pursue a designing career when she started doodling random sketches of dresses on crumpled napkins at Central Perk. He recognized her talent way before she did.

**Kiss** \- Rachel had always enjoyed Joey's kisses. The more time they spent together, the more she craved to feel his mouth on hers again. Joey had been a complete gentleman thus far though and while she knew it was for the best not to blur the lines of friendship again, she found their first kiss replayed in her mind constantly, like it was on an endless loop. (She wondered if his lips were still as soft as they had been fifteen years ago.)

**Affair** \- "Are you and Joey having an affair?" Ross confronted her one day when they ran into each other on a busy street corner. Rachel nearly choked on her tongue, demanding to know where he got a crazy idea like that. He reminded her that people talked; that the word going around town was that she and Joey were often seen together. Rachel wanted to retort that she couldn't have an affair when their marriage was a week from being officially over, but she decided silence once again was her best response.

**Effort** \- The divorce was final the next week. Rachel woke up that morning feeling … _different._ But not exactly bad-different. Joey ended up taking her out on her father's old boat to try to distract her from her potent thoughts. They watched the stars for hours as she slipped her tiny hand into his much larger one.

**Why** \- It had been two months since the divorce was finalized. Joey hung around more often than not and she welcomed his presence. Still, it was driving her bat shit - wondering why he had made no move on her; why he hadn't attempted to feather his fingers in her hair or even give her a kiss on the cheek. She was starting to wonder if she was long past her sexy years.

**Baby** \- They watched Cujo yet again and she practically jumped into his lap at all of the scariest parts. Finally, she couldn't resist snapping out, "Why? Why don't you just kiss me? Am I that repulsive or-" He replied, "God no, Rachel. Damn, baby... That's all I've been wanting to do for _years_ but if we go there… It wouldn't be right. Ross would freak out and -" "Ross isn't a part of my life anymore, Joey. Not like that. And I'm okay with not being _Ross's_ Rachel anymore. I really am." "I don't want to ruin our friendship or betray Ross." Rachel sighed. She angled her head just right to fit in the crook of his shoulder, embarrassed that she'd made such a scene when Joey was obviously trying to be the grown up and mature person here. At some point though, she felt his lips burrow in the soft, fine strands of her hair.

**Candy** \- "I'm not good at this being noble crap," Joey said after they had shared another breath-stealing kiss. She could taste the salty-sweetness of the Pixy-sticks he had eaten on his lips. "I never tried it before but with you… I wanted to be better for you, Rachel." "You are better for me," Rachel said, tugging on the front of his shirt, pulling him down on top of her.

**Deceitful** \- "I lied," Rachel said as they laid in bed later that night, sheets tangled up around their naked bodies. "I lied when I told you back then that I just wanted to be friends; that we had no chemistry." "I lied too," Joey admitted. "I did it for Ross. The guilt ate me up inside." "I know," Rachel said. "Me too. But I can honestly say that I don't love Ross like that anymore. I get to be my own person with you. Do you know how awesome that is? With Ross, I really was just half of a whole… You make me happy, Joey… I deserve that right?" "Of course you do, Rach." "You deserve to be happy too, Joey." "I am," he said and kissed her again.


End file.
